List of prime ministers of Japan facts for kids

The west facade of the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei (valley side), the office of the prime minister

The east facade of the Kantei

The Prime Minister of Japan is the country's main leader. They are the head of government and lead the Cabinet, which is like the team of top ministers. This list shows all the prime ministers of Japan, starting from Itō Hirobumi in 1885, who was the first modern prime minister.

Before 1947, prime ministers were chosen by the Emperor. After 1947, the prime minister is chosen by the National Diet, which is Japan's parliament. Then, the Emperor officially appoints them.

The shortest time a prime minister has served was Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni in 1945. He was in office for only 54 days. The longest-serving prime minister was Shinzo Abe, who led the country for eight years over two different periods.

The current prime minister is Shigeru Ishiba. He started his job on October 1, 2024. There are currently eleven former prime ministers who are still alive. The most recent former prime minister to pass away was Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on July 8, 2022.

Early Leaders: 1871 to 1885

Before the modern role of prime minister was created, there was an important position called the daijō-daijin. This role was similar to what the prime minister would become later. It was an old job that was brought back for a short time during the Meiji era.

The Daijō-daijin (Chancellor of the Realm)

The only person to hold the daijō-daijin role during this period was Sanjō Sanetomi. He served from September 13, 1871, to December 22, 1885. He was not part of any political party. This role was removed in December 1885. That's when Itō Hirobumi became the first person to hold the new title of Prime Minister of Japan.

Prime Ministers Since 1885

This section lists all the prime ministers of Japan from 1885 until today. You can see how long each person served and which political party they belonged to.

• • 19th century
  • 20th century
  • 21st century

• ---

• • Meiji Era
  • Taishō Era
  • Shōwa Era
  • Heisei Era
  • Reiwa Era

• ---

• •      Nonpartisan   (9)
  •      Military (Army) (6)
  •      Military (Navy) (5)
  •      Kenseitō   (1)
  •      Rikken Seiyūkai   (6)
  •      Rikken Dōshikai (1)
  •      Kenseikai   (2)
  •      Rikken Minseitō   (2)
  •      Taisei Yokusankai   (4)
  •      Imperial Family (1)
  •      Liberal (1945–1948)   (1)
  •      Socialist   (2)
  •      Democratic (1947–1950)   (1)
  •      Democratic Liberal   (1)
  •      Liberal (1950–1955)   (1)
  •      Democratic (1954–1955) (1)
  •      Liberal Democratic   (25)
  •      New   (1)
  •      Renewal   (1)
  •      Democratic (1998–2016)   (3)

List of Prime Ministers of Japan since 1885

Photo		Prime Minister (Lifespan)	Time in Office			Party	Government	Emperor (Reign)
			Start	End	Duration
		Itō Hirobumi (1841–1909)	22 December 1885	30 April 1888	2 years, 129 days	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	1. Itō I	Meiji (1867–1912) (Meiji era)
		Kuroda Kiyotaka (1840–1900)	30 April 1888	25 October 1889	1 year, 178 days	Military (Army)	2. Kuroda
		Sanjō Sanetomi (1837–1891) Acting Prime Minister	25 October 1889	24 December 1889	60 days	Independent	Sanjō caretaker
		Yamagata Aritomo (1838–1922)	24 December 1889	6 May 1891	1 year, 133 days	Military (Army)	3. Yamagata I
											Matsukata Masayoshi (1835–1924)	6 May 1891	8 August 1892	1 year, 94 days	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	4. Matsukata I
		Itō Hirobumi (1841–1909)	8 August 1892	31 August 1896	4 years, 23 days	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	5. Itō II
									During this time, Kuroda Kiyotaka was the acting prime minister.
											Matsukata Masayoshi (1835–1924)	18 September 1896	12 January 1898	1 year, 116 days	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	6. Matsukata II
		Itō Hirobumi (1841–1909)	12 January 1898	30 June 1898	169 days	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	7. Itō III
											Ōkuma Shigenobu (1838–1922)	30 June 1898	8 November 1898	131 days	Kenseitō	8. Ōkuma I
		Yamagata Aritomo (1838–1922)	8 November 1898	19 October 1900	1 year, 346 days	Military (Army)	9. Yamagata II
		Itō Hirobumi (1841–1909)	19 October 1900	10 May 1901	203 days	Rikken Seiyūkai	10. Itō IV
During this time, Saionji Kinmochi was the acting prime minister.
		Katsura Tarō (1848–1913)	2 June 1901	7 January 1906	4 years, 219 days	Military (Army)	11. Katsura I
											Saionji Kinmochi (1849–1940)	7 January 1906	14 July 1908	2 years, 189 days	Rikken Seiyūkai	12. Saionji I
																			Katsura Tarō (1848–1913)	14 July 1908	30 August 1911	3 years, 47 days	Military (Army)	13. Katsura II
											Saionji Kinmochi (1849–1940)	30 August 1911	21 December 1912	1 year, 113 days	Rikken Seiyūkai	14. Saionji II
	Taishō (1912–1926) (Taishō era)
			Katsura Tarō (1848–1913)	21 December 1912	20 February 1913	61 days	Independent		15. Katsura III
			Yamamoto Gonnohyōe (1852–1933)	20 February 1913	16 April 1914	1 year, 55 days	Military (Navy)		16. Yamamoto I
			Ōkuma Shigenobu (1838–1922)	16 April 1914	9 October 1916	2 years, 177 days	Rikken Dōshikai		17. Ōkuma II
												Terauchi Masatake (1852–1919)	9 October 1916	29 September 1918	1 year, 355 days	Military (Army)	18. Terauchi
			Hara Takashi (1856–1921)	29 September 1918	4 November 1921	3 years, 36 days	Rikken Seiyūkai		19. Hara
										During this time, Foreign Minister Uchida Kōsai was the acting prime minister.
			Takahashi Korekiyo (1854–1936)	13 November 1921	12 June 1922	211 days	Rikken Seiyūkai		20. Takahashi
			Katō Tomosaburō (1861–1923)	12 June 1922	24 August 1923	1 year, 73 days	Military (Navy)		21. Katō To.
During this time, Foreign Minister Uchida Kōsai was the acting prime minister.
		Yamamoto Gonnohyōe (1852–1933)	2 September 1923	7 January 1924	127 days	Military (Navy)	22. Yamamoto II
		Kiyoura Keigo (1850–1942)	7 January 1924	11 June 1924	156 days	Independent	23. Kiyoura
		Katō Takaaki (1860–1926)	11 June 1924	28 January 1926	1 year, 231 days	Kenseikai	24. Katō Ta.
During this time, Interior Minister Wakatsuki Reijirō was the acting prime minister.
		Wakatsuki Reijirō (1866–1949)	30 January 1926	20 April 1927	1 year, 80 days	Kenseikai	25. Wakatsuki I
								Shōwa (1926–1989) (Shōwa era)
		Tanaka Giichi (1864–1929)	20 April 1927	2 July 1929	2 years, 73 days	Rikken Seiyūkai	26. Tanaka G.
											Hamaguchi Osachi (1870–1931)	2 July 1929	14 April 1931	1 year, 286 days	Rikken Minseitō	27. Hamaguchi
During this time, Foreign Minister Kijūrō Shidehara was the acting prime minister.
		Wakatsuki Reijirō (1866–1949)	14 April 1931	13 December 1931	243 days	Rikken Minseitō	28. Wakatsuki II
		Inukai Tsuyoshi (1855–1932)	13 December 1931	15 May 1932	154 days	Rikken Seiyūkai	29. Inukai
									During this time, Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo was the acting prime minister.
		Saitō Makoto (1858–1936)	26 May 1932	8 July 1934	2 years, 43 days	Military (Navy)	30. Saitō
		Keisuke Okada (1868–1952)	8 July 1934	9 March 1936	1 year, 245 days	Military (Navy)	31. Okada
									During this time, Interior Minister Fumio Gotō was the acting prime minister.
		Kōki Hirota (1878–1948)	9 March 1936	2 February 1937	330 days	Independent	32. Hirota
		Senjūrō Hayashi (1876–1943)	2 February 1937	4 June 1937	122 days	Military (Army)	33. Hayashi
											Fumimaro Konoe (1891–1945)	4 June 1937	5 January 1939	1 year, 215 days	Independent	34. Konoe I
		Hiranuma Kiichirō (1867–1952)	5 January 1939	30 August 1939	237 days	Independent	35. Hiranuma
		Nobuyuki Abe (1875–1953)	30 August 1939	16 January 1940	139 days	Military (Army)	36. N. Abe
		Mitsumasa Yonai (1880–1948)	16 January 1940	22 July 1940	188 days	Military (Navy)	37. Yonai
		Fumimaro Konoe (1891–1945)	22 July 1940	18 October 1941	1 year, 88 days	Independent	38. Konoe II
						Taisei Yokusankai
							39. Konoe III
		Hideki Tojo (1884–1948)	18 October 1941	22 July 1944	2 years, 278 days	Taisei Yokusankai	40. Tōjō
											Kuniaki Koiso (1880–1950)	22 July 1944	7 April 1945	259 days	Taisei Yokusankai	41. Koiso
		Kantarō Suzuki (1868–1948)	7 April 1945	17 August 1945	132 days	Taisei Yokusankai	42. K. Suzuki
						Independent
		Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni (1887–1990)	17 August 1945	9 October 1945	53 days	Imperial Family	43. Higashikuni
		Kijūrō Shidehara (1872–1951)	9 October 1945	22 May 1946	225 days	Independent	44. Shidehara
		Shigeru Yoshida (1878–1967)	22 May 1946	24 May 1947	1 year, 2 days	Liberal	45. Yoshida I
		Tetsu Katayama (1887–1978)	24 May 1947	10 March 1948	291 days	Socialist	46. Katayama
		Hitoshi Ashida (1887–1959)	10 March 1948	15 October 1948	219 days	Democratic	47. Ashida
		Shigeru Yoshida (1878–1967)	15 October 1948	10 December 1954	6 years, 56 days	Democratic Liberal	48. Yoshida II
							49. Yoshida III
						Liberal
							50. Yoshida IV
							51. Yoshida V
		Ichirō Hatoyama (1883–1959)	10 December 1954	23 December 1956	2 years, 13 days	Japan Democratic	52. Hatoyama I. I
							53. Hatoyama I. II
						—	Liberal Democratic		54. Hatoyama I. III
		Tanzan Ishibashi (1884–1973)	23 December 1956	25 February 1957	64 days	Liberal Democratic	55. Ishibashi
		Nobusuke Kishi (1896–1987)	25 February 1957	19 July 1960	3 years, 145 days	Liberal Democratic	56. Kishi I
							57. Kishi II
		Hayato Ikeda (1899–1965)	19 July 1960	9 November 1964	4 years, 113 days	Liberal Democratic	58. Ikeda I
							59. Ikeda II
							60. Ikeda III
		Eisaku Satō (1901–1975)	9 November 1964	7 July 1972	7 years, 241 days	Liberal Democratic	61. Satō I
							62. Satō II
							63. Satō III
		Kakuei Tanaka (1918–1993)	7 July 1972	9 December 1974	2 years, 155 days	Liberal Democratic	64. Tanaka K. I
							65. Tanaka K. II
		Takeo Miki (1907–1988)	9 December 1974	24 December 1976	2 years, 15 days	Liberal Democratic	66. Miki
		Takeo Fukuda (1905–1995)	24 December 1976	7 December 1978	1 year, 348 days	Liberal Democratic	67. Fukuda T.
		Masayoshi Ōhira (1910–1980)	7 December 1978	12 June 1980	1 year, 188 days	Liberal Democratic	68. Ōhira I
							69. Ōhira II
During this time, Masayoshi Ito was the acting prime minister.
		Zenkō Suzuki (1911–2004)	17 July 1980	27 November 1982	2 years, 133 days	Liberal Democratic	70. Suzuki Z.
		Yasuhiro Nakasone (1918–2019)	27 November 1982	6 November 1987	4 years, 344 days	Liberal Democratic	71. Nakasone I
							72. Nakasone II
							73. Nakasone III
		Noboru Takeshita (1924–2000)	6 November 1987	3 June 1989	1 year, 209 days	Liberal Democratic	74. Takeshita
									Akihito (Heisei) (1989–2019) (Heisei era)
		Sōsuke Uno (1922–1998)	3 June 1989	10 August 1989	68 days	Liberal Democratic	75. Uno
		Toshiki Kaifu (1931–2022)	10 August 1989	5 November 1991	2 years, 87 days	Liberal Democratic	76. Kaifu I
							77. Kaifu II
		Kiichi Miyazawa (1919–2007)	5 November 1991	9 August 1993	1 year, 277 days	Liberal Democratic	78. Miyazawa
		Morihiro Hosokawa (born 1938)	9 August 1993	28 April 1994	262 days	New	79. Hosokawa
		Tsutomu Hata (1935–2017)	28 April 1994	30 June 1994	63 days	Renewal	80. Hata
		Tomiichi Murayama (born 1924)	30 June 1994	11 January 1996	1 year, 195 days	Socialist	81. Murayama
		Ryūtarō Hashimoto (1937–2006)	11 January 1996	30 July 1998	2 years, 200 days	Liberal Democratic	82. Hashimoto I
							83. Hashimoto II
		Keizō Obuchi (1937–2000)	30 July 1998	5 April 2000	1 year, 250 days	Liberal Democratic	84. Obuchi
		Yoshirō Mori (born 1937)	5 April 2000	26 April 2001	1 year, 21 days	Liberal Democratic	85. Mori I
							86. Mori II
		Junichiro Koizumi (born 1942)	26 April 2001	26 September 2006	5 years, 153 days	Liberal Democratic	87. Koizumi I
							88. Koizumi II
							89. Koizumi III
		Shinzo Abe (1954–2022)	26 September 2006	26 September 2007	1 year, 0 days	Liberal Democratic	90. Abe S. I
		Yasuo Fukuda (born 1936)	26 September 2007	24 September 2008	364 days	Liberal Democratic	91. Fukuda Y.
		Tarō Asō (born 1940)	24 September 2008	16 September 2009	357 days	Liberal Democratic	92. Asō
		Yukio Hatoyama (born 1947)	16 September 2009	8 June 2010	265 days	Democratic	93. Hatoyama Y.
		Naoto Kan (born 1946)	8 June 2010	2 September 2011	1 year, 86 days	Democratic	94. Kan
		Yoshihiko Noda (born 1957)	2 September 2011	26 December 2012	1 year, 115 days	Democratic	95. Noda
		Shinzo Abe (1954–2022)	26 December 2012	16 September 2020	7 years, 265 days	Liberal Democratic	96. Abe S. II
							97. Abe S. III
							98. Abe S. IV
								Naruhito (Reiwa) (2019–present) (Reiwa era)
		Yoshihide Suga (born 1948)	16 September 2020	4 October 2021	1 year, 18 days	Liberal Democratic	99. Suga
		Fumio Kishida (born 1957)	4 October 2021	1 October 2024	2 years, 363 days	Liberal Democratic	100. Kishida I
							101. Kishida II
		Shigeru Ishiba (born 1957)	1 October 2024	Incumbent	0 years, 0 days	Liberal Democratic	102. Ishiba I
							103. Ishiba II

Timeline of Prime Ministers

Family Connections Among Prime Ministers

It's interesting to see that some Japanese prime ministers are related to each other! Here are some of the family connections:

See also

• List of prime ministers of Japan by time in office
• Lifespan timeline of prime ministers of Japan
• List of prime ministers of Japan by education
• List of prime ministers of Japan by home prefecture
• List of Japanese cabinets
• Deputy Prime Minister of Japan

Images for kids

• 

  The west side of the Prime Minister's office in Japan.

• 

  The east side of the Prime Minister's office.